Every home has to be repainted from time to time. When it’s time to repaint your home, one of the most important choices is your choice of colors. You have a chance to completely change the look of your home if you so desire, but not all change is for the better! To help you avoid making a change for the worse, we offer the following tips for home color selection.
Tip #1: Try Not To Clash Too Much
Some colors go well together, and some do not. This is a basic fact that must be considered when choosing the color of your home. To do this, you simply look at the other houses in your area. You probably don’t want to choose a color that clashes with that of your neighbor’s house. If you do this, it becomes an eyesore that subtly irritates everyone around.
But what do we mean when we talk about colors “clashing?” If you aren’t familiar with the concept, here’s a quick introduction to color theory. It may seem complicated, but it really comes down to a few important concepts. First of all, you don’t normally want to mix “hot” colors and “cool” colors.
Hot colors include red, orange, pink, and yellow. Cool colors include green, blue, and purple. Of course, all of those colors have many shades from which you can choose. You don’t want to mix red and blue or yellow and purple. When it comes to white, black, and grey, these colors are more or less neutral and can go with anything.
Tip #2: Consider Using Two Shades Of The Same Color
Most people will use one color for the majority of their home and a second color for the “trim.” When we say “trim,” that includes baseboards, shutters, flashing, and all those other little accents. Naturally, you don’t want your entire house to be one color, as that would be too plain and boring.
Thus, one of the easiest ways to make sure that your colors will look nice together is to use two shades of the same color. For instance, you might use a light, smoky blue for the trim and a darker blue for the siding and most of the large surfaces. While this isn’t the only way to choose a good color combination, it is one of the surest.
Sometimes, paint colors don’t turn out looking as we hoped. Most paints will have a slight change of hue as they dry (although it is a subtle difference), and there are sometimes differences between the colors on your sample cards and the final result. By choosing two shades of the same color, you are making sure that these colors will look nice together. You can use this simple online tool to check out your many options.
Tip #3: Always Test The Paint
As we mentioned earlier, paint color can change slightly from application to drying. They can also differ from in-store samples for a variety of reasons. For those reasons, you should always test a particular color of paint before using it for your house.
To do this, we would recommend buying a small amount of the chosen paint. Then, test it by painting a small piece of scrap wood or vinyl. Let it dry completely, and then apply any coatings (like clear-coat polyurethane or some other sealer) that will be applied to your home. The goal is to see exactly how the color will look when the project is complete.
There are a few other points to remember as well. For instance, you might want to try using multiple coats so that you can see if there will be a color change. You might also want to try painting over a primer and using different sorts of lighting.
Tip #4: Don’t Go Too Bright Or Too Dark
We probably don’t have to tell you this, but it’s a good idea to avoid using colors that are excessively bright or dark. Of course, you don’t see many houses painted in hot pink or neon green, and it’s not hard to see why that is the case. Such colors would stand out like a sore thumb, and not in a good way.
As you may have noticed, most homes are painted in somewhat muted shades. Pastels are particularly common, mostly because people don’t want their home to look like an amusement park or Santa Claus’ workshop. It just looks silly to use nothing but bright primary colors.
By the same token, imagine a house that is painted black with dark grey trim. First of all, your neighbors will probably think you’re a little strange. Secondly, it will create a dark and depressing look that most people don’t like. This is not to say that you should never use bright or dark colors…we’re just saying that you shouldn’t go too far.
Tip #5: Consider The Historical Factor
This won’t be an issue for most people, but it still bears mentioning. If you live in an older home, especially one that is old enough to be considered “historic,” you should make sure to respect tradition and refrain from making radical changes to the color.
Remember, you won’t be living in this place forever, so you should consider the long-term implications of your choice. In some areas, you may not have a choice in the matter. Towns with a lot of historic housing will sometimes pass laws that force you to stick with the original color. So, make sure to check your local laws if your home is more than 50 years old.
Conclusion
Of course, the color of paint that you choose for your home will largely be a matter of preference. It’s very important to choose something with which you will be happy, and that is always the main priority. Still, we hope that we have given you some help in your decision. We also hope that you will fill out the contact form to receive more of our work.
